Abstract
Boron carbide B
4
C or, which is the same, B
12
C
3
, was neutron-bombarded at four different doses, namely at 1.09, 2.19, 3.28 and 4.38 × 10
16
n cm
−2
. The radiation-damage was studied by FT-IR, ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) and by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry). It is shown that both FT-IR and ESR are useful techniques to monitor the radiation-damage level introduced in B
12
C
3
, with the ESR characterized by a higher sensitivity level than FT-IR. Thermal annealing of the neutron-treated B
12
C
3
from room temperature to 630°C permits to measure the release of the stored Wigner energy which was found comprised between 0.55 meV/atom at the lowest neutron dose to 2.29 meV/atom at the highest neutron dose employed. The values of Wigner energy measured on B
12
C
3
were comparable to those measured on fullerenes and graphite flakes at the same dose level. However, the thermal annealing of neutron-treated B
12
C
3
does not lead to the complete restoration of the pristine chemical structure before irradiation.